Eventide
by AyanaRin
Summary: No one went out alone at night. They were afraid. Rumors circulated of people going missing, only for their corpses to turn up ripped apart by animals. Still, that wasn't going to stop young Elise from going on her evening walk to clear her mind. A young man came into view, and suddenly, there was a pain in her neck, an unstoppable burn following.
1. A Fateful Encounter

**_Chapter One: A fateful encounter_**

 _"There are no bonds so strong as those which are formed by suffering together. "_  
 _-Harriet Ann Jacobs_

* * *

 **T** hey were arguing once again. Shouts echoing through the corridors and easily piercing the wall. Elise lay across her bed, in the dark, pretending she couldn't hear a thing. It was easier that way, cheerfully greeting her parents in the morning, smiling as if she were none the wiser. Her mother would be figuring out new ways to hide her bruises, and to avoid drawing suspicion, Elise did ask, easily being fooled by whatever excuse her mother came up with.

She knew that her father could've easily decided to walk upstairs and strike her too. He never had, but, that was partially the reason she decided to turn a blind eye, she was afraid that at any moment, he'd turn his anger on her. There was no one she could tell, if someone did believe her, then her foolish mother would only defend him. Her elder brother, Simeon had been through that song and dance before.

It was hard to look at her parents, the bond they once shared has dissipated. And their bonds with her were also strained. Since she was 17, they were hoping that she'd meet a boy, and quickly be married off, hopefully so they could divorce, without the pain of 'separating the family'. Honestly, that had been her plan. Either marry a guy, or beg Simeon to let her come stay with him and his wife for a while. They had a relatively strong bond.

Connections are what made Elise unique. Since early childhood, once coming into physical contact with someone, she could see if someone had grown attached to her, and if that person was close to her, she could see their attachments to another person. She described it as seeing a thin red line or string connecting the two people. Upon telling her parents, they began questioning her mental state, and the subject was quickly dropped. However, she continued to see it, and the thread made it difficult to form relationships. A lot of them were one sided.

Yelling still echoed from downstairs, it seemed her mother was actually winning the argument this time. A rare occurrence. Elise sat up on her bed, deciding she wasn't going to listen to their screams all night, and headed out to the balcony, which her room shared with the guest bedroom.

The night air was crisp, easily cutting through her thin, white gown. It was a bit too cold outside, but, Elise adored the evening hours. She loved gazing at the stars and the moon, wondering what may lay outside of their sky, and what secret's the darkness kept. It was nights like this, when her parents were arguing, that she'd slip out, wander the town, always heading to the newly built bridge, staring at the reflections of the night sky, in the rippled of water. It was relaxing, and often helped her get through tougher days. Plus, it was pretty close to her house, she never ran into anyone, the only people out this late were others clearing their minds, streetwalkers, and those seeking the service of a streetwalker. The latter usually hung out towards Main Street, away from Elise's location.

And, so, she climbed over the balustrade, and onto the trellis, easily making her way to the ground. The dew on the grass froze her bare feet, but, Elise persisted, the peace and quiet she'd have made the possibility of catching a cold worth it. The young girl decided to head around to the back of the house, avoiding the chance of being spotted in the front, before altering her course, heading towards town.

Meanwhile, two vampires stood atop the bank, stalking her, staring her down. They'd been prowling the town looking for a quick meal, and a potential recruit or two, when the eldest of the two, a petite, dark haired woman took notice of her scent. It was alluring, almost begging the woman to tear the poor girl to pieces. The second vampire didn't seem to understand the fascination the first held with Elise, she smelled like any ordinary human, possibly a bit sweeter with the added fragrance she wore, but, not nearly as mouth watering as the elder seemed to believe.

"Mmmm, I can almost taste her from here." The female vampire let out a scoff, trying to play off her sudden obsession with the girl. Her expression, the grin on her lips and the pure excitement emanating from her betrayed her false disgust. Elise's blood was singing for the strange woman, something she had yet to discover. Her throat burned with anticipation, and her desire was so strong, the ache transferred to her male friend. "Are you going to kill her?" He questioned, in a hushed tone, wishing she'd hurry with her decision, so he wouldn't be tormented by her lust. He was growing impatient, agitated even, ready to leap down and bleed the girl dry, himself.

"No." Her reply was calmer, due to his influence, manipulating her emotions, calming him, in turn. The woman turned to her friend, grabbing his collar, pulling him closer, her lips kissing his neck before whispering in his ear. "Jasper, I want her." He chuckled, feeling her forced breath on his neck. "Go and get her, no one is stopping you."

"I want her as part of our army. There has to be a reason she smells so appetizing to me." The woman clarified, almost pouting at the fact that he hadn't caught on to what she was asking. "You have great restraint, but, if her blood is so appealing to you, could you actually handle yourself?" What she wanted was impossible, it was unheard of for a vampire to successfully turn a singer. There were rumors, yet, no one had ever provided any evidence towards those accusations.

As Jasper glanced down at his small partner, she gave him a sly grin, making him feel a little uneasy. "Actually…"

"Maria… I can't." He pleaded, finally putting together her plan.

"I have faith in you, Jasper.. And, if you need a little incentive, I'll be more than willing to reward you when you return." With that, she retracted slightly, lips connecting to his own, hungrily seeking his attention, he could feel her yearning for him and Jasper did enjoy his rewards. His hands wrapped around her waist, as he returned her kisses. "If I do this, I may be a little demanding with my prize." Maria let out a giggle. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"I'm guessing you have a plan, since you've been staring in her direction for quite some time?" A smirk played across his lips, mind focused on everything he wanted to do to Maria. "Same plan as always." Maria chimed, taking a step away, breaking his hold on her. "Lead her away, turn her, and force the opium in her system before she can break the paralysis of your venom. With the opium and your power, it should be easy to keep her in check. If you can manage to do that, without killing her, there's an abandoned house, a few miles outside of the city, surrounded by wilted crops, keep her there until she changes, give her a little training and bring her back to me."

"You're not staying?"

"If I can already smell that girl's blood, I don't want to imagine the frenzy she'd send me into if I were around while she bleed. Besides, I have a few more area's I wanted to scout out."

Maria made it sound as if such a task would be easy for him. Jasper never fathomed being able to have the self control that she had to change someone. And he was already thirsty… there was no way she'd survive. Seeing him distraught, Maria spoke up, "You'll do fine. Once she's paralyzed, you should have a few minutes to find another meal."

Reluctantly, he agreed to the task, making sure not to promise that he wouldn't kill her. This made Maria happy, and she decided to use her tactic of seduction once more. "I only wish I could tell you what I'd do to you if you brought back someone who could give the other newborns a run for their money. Make her strong for me, okay?"

"If that's the case, I'll see you soon." He responded, pulling her to him, a hand gripping her chin. Quite a bold move. "And I'll bring you the best newborn you've ever seen." Jasper leaned in for one more kiss, only to have Maria pull away, leaving him confused. "Second to you, of course." She replied, before allowing him the kiss, slipping two vials of the drug into his coat pocket.

The two split up, Maria headed South-West, and Jasper headed North, leaping across the river, just a few yards away from her, before re-emerging on the opposite side of the bridge, blocking her route home.

Elise stood on the center of the bridge, leaning against the railing, mindlessly staring out at the water. It always amazed Jasper how clumsy humans were, he was so close to her, and could've killed her multiple times by now, yet, she hadn't noticed his presence. His plan was to lead her into a false sense of security, which was easy with his ability, then, he'd lead her to somewhere private, before doing the deed.

Finally, she noticed the gentleman, striding ever so nearer. Naturally, her heart began to pound, not wanting to deal with the consequences of being caught out so late, especially with the way she was dressed. Elise's parents would never stop lecturing her.

And suddenly, she felt comforted, as if her fears had never even existed in the first place. Something was telling the girl to run, that this man was dangerous. The closer he approached, the more at ease she felt. From what she could see, he was devilishly handsome, honey-blond hair, accompanied with dark eyes. His youthful appearance alarmed her even more. Everything about his arrival was uncanny, yet, despite her minds panicked state, she was calm. Even her mental stress had started to soothe away.

"Evenin' ma'am." Jasper called out, bowing his head. "Good evening, sir.." Elise returned the gesture, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "Pardon the intrusion, but, you seem troubled. May I ask what's bothering you?" He was nice enough, if he'd approached her in the daytime, she'd feel more comfortable around him. Yet, the fact was he approached her during the night, from the side of town she lived on, and, he didn't look like any of her neighbors. "I only stepped out for a few minutes. Actually, I should be heading back, least I worry my parents." She faced him, with the hope that he'd just step aside and allow her to pass. Jasper stayed firmly in place, gaze bore into her own. "Please, let me through." Elise requested, subconsciously taking a step backwards, showing her fear. As if he needed validation, when he could feel just how scared she was.

It wasn't going exactly as he planned, but, the bridge was pretty secluded during the late hours, and would have to suffice. He only needed to engage her, get close enough to silence her screams as he bit into her throat. And so, he stepped aside, giving her the false hope of freedom, allowing her to pass.

Elise remained suspicious, attempting to proceed as quickly as possible, moving around the vampire, only to have his hand reach out and grab her arm, gripping tightly as Elise let out a cry, both from the shock and pain. She wasn't paying attention to how frozen his hand was, believing it was just due to the weather.

"Let me go!" She insisted, raising her voice, and pulling against his force. Her resistance was futile, Jasper barely had hold of her, even she could tell that he wasn't using full strength. "I don't know who you think you are, but-"

"Be quiet. No one is coming to save you, and even if they were, it's not like they could." The truth stung. Nobody knew she was out here, and nobody was close enough to hear her screams regardless.

"Who are you!?"  
"That's not important."

"Why are you doing this!?"  
"It's in my nature."

"What do you want from me!?"  
"A talented, obedient soldier."

The two bickered back and forth, Jasper effortlessly held onto her, amused by her struggles. He grew bored of their game, pulling her to him and clamping his opposite hand over her mouth, to keep her from screaming, while pinning her to the railing, planting his knee between her legs, assuring there was no room for escape. She was nervous, terrified and angry. Blood flowing faster through her veins, taunting him. His throat was dry. It was moronic to ask such a task of him. He'd make Elise's death up to Maria, later. Right now, he planned on quenching his thirst, she was just too appeasing.

What made it hard was she kept trying to resist, which was normal for a victim, however, the negative emotions she felt were strong. Sorrow joined, mingling in with the others, as did guilt, her parents would never know what happened to her. More of a strain would be put on their marriage, and it was her fault.

Jasper's own expression was pained, he hadn't felt so much from a victim in a long time. "I'm sorry…" He half mumbled, before exposing her neck and sinking his teeth in, tearing a chunk of her flesh away, biting once again, this time sucking up all the blood spilling from her wound. Of course she was screaming, at least, she was trying to. An intense sting rang from her collarbone, through her shoulder, it was fractured, pierced by Jasper's teeth.

Seeing that her arm was no longer able to move, without her going through agonizing discomfort, his grip on her wrist was released, and his arm quickly wrapped around her waist. Moving her opposite arm even hurt. Still, she tried to push him away, though failing, her strength wasn't enough to even draw his attention. Finally, Elise gave up, her hand just clenching the fabric of his jacket.

His venom began to paralyze her, and though she could still feel the overwhelming amounts of pain, it was somehow relaxing. But, maybe that was Jasper's work. Either way, she appreciated it.

When he first bit, all she could feel was the tearing of her flesh, and then her heart rate increased, which was already beating like crazy. Next, sweat started to gather, dripping from her uncontrollably, despite the fact that Jasper's cool body was pinned to her. A migraine formed, dazing her, and almost making her lose consciousness. Her vision started fading in and out, and all sound was replaced by a loud ringing. The muffled screaming came to a halt, and she was silent.

At least, until the unfathomable burning hit her wound, reaching down her chest, heading towards her heart. She was hot, the essence of lava snaking through her veins, causing her eyes to shoot open once again. Jasper wasn't taking her blood fast enough, and the venom was already starting to turn her.

This time, as she thrashed about, she managed to pry Jasper's hand away from her mouth, only to have him grip the back of her head, pushing her face into his jacket. Elise took a deep breath, trying to pull herself together, as she felt her body growing weaker and weaker. That sudden burst of strength was zapped away along with whatever blood remained in her system.

Elise was dying, and she knew it.

That's when it happened, a vision shot to her brain, red lace intertwining herself and the mysterious man, currently killing her. This was foreign to her, why did she and this stranger have a bond?

"Jasper, I want her."

"I can't."

These words echoed through her brain, she immediately recognized the male's voice, though, not having a clue as to who the female was.

Now she knew his name. Maybe, she could convince him to let her go. With what was left of her strength, she used her injured arm to reach up, clenching his shirt, muttering the words: "Jasper… p-please.. Stop!" That was enough to draw his attention, releasing his grip on her throat. He'd numbed himself to her emotions, and his victims always begged him to stop, but, never,… never had one of his victims spoke his name.

Jasper backed off, Elise dropped to the ground, unable to keep herself upright. "You're still alive?" He questioned aloud, not believing what he saw. He'd taken a large portion of her blood, she should've died by now. Maybe, she could still turn?

Once he regained his composure, he scooped Elise into his arms, quickly making his way back to the rooftops, scanning the horizon for the wilted crops, surrounding the house that would be their sanctuary for the next week. As soon as he spotted it, he leaped back to the ground, running through the town, leaping into the middle of the field, to avoid leaving a trail for humans to follow. The lock was easy to break, since only the knob was latched, he didn't worry about re-locking the door, if anyone wandered in, they'd be walking to their death, with a thirsty newborn on the way. He took Elise down to the basement, where neither of them would have to worry about the sun, it would be dark, and mostly quiet.

Elise wasn't screaming anymore, though she still let out quite a few pained grunts, and twitches, her hand, again, clenched his shirt. She was only vaguely aware that they'd changed location, her eyes squeezed shut, trying to somehow regulate the scorch that had now spread through her entire being, threatening to incinerate her from the inside out. A dull ache revealed itself, in the base of her throat, a warning, yet somehow, it was far easier to deal with.

She was taken to the back of the basement, and laid on the floor, where the opium would be introduced to her system. Since he was giving it to her after she started turning, the effect would be as efficient, but, should give him just enough time to slip out, and find someone to drink. It was risky, but, if he had to, he'd hunt her down and drag her back.

"Are you still conscious?" Jasper asked, holding her head up, kneeling next to her. "Maybe.." Her voice was weak, hoarse. She wasn't sure if you could call her state of mind consciousness. "That's good. I need your cooperation momentarily." Elise slowly opened her eyes, staring at him, the room was dark, but, she could still see his defining feature, his blackened eyes. She didn't speak another word, just watching his movements, as he took the vial from his pocket, "Drink this for me." His voice was soothing, calming. He wanted her to trust him. Taking a deep breath, she responded, "Yeah… Okay." Elise drank both bottles, quickly slipping into an unconscious state. Jasper stayed with her until he was sure she couldn't move.

"If you wake up before I return, stay here. You don't want me to hunt you down. It won't be very pleasant." With that, he gently laid her head down, and turned, heading back towards the stairs.

Jasper's has hunted for a little over 30 years, he wouldn't take too long, not wanting to leave a newborn alone, only a few miles away from a city. That spelled disaster. If she escaped, he'd most likely have to kill her to keep her from trying to hunt down every human she could find. Yet another fatal flaw in Maria's plan. Not only was having Jasper turn her a mistake, but, keeping her so close to blood, warmth she'd no doubt feel. There'd been cases of newborns going into a frenzy from the lingering scent of their own blood, after all. And that was blood that had days to dry.

Only minutes passed whenever he reached the border of town, easily picking up the scent of a streetwalker, and her dissatisfied customer. They'd been in a rather heated argument, resulting in the man striking her, drawing blood. A grin lined Jasper's face as the scent reached him, instincts taking over as he moved into a crouched position, before sprinting through the city, over the buildings and into the alley, hidden in the darkness, watching the scene unfold. The woman was on the ground, tearful, and the man prepared to hit her again, closing his fist, reeling it back. Jasper was faster, clotheslining the man, his skull cracking against the pavement, letting his blood gush out, as he fell unconscious. The woman was still crying, fearful, he'd moved to fast to be a normal human, she knew this. Jasper turned, a smile still on his face, as he forcefully pulled the girl to her feet, slamming her against the building, she screamed once, before his teeth cut through her skin. As soon as the blood started flowing, he adjusted his grip, less violent than he was with Elise, taking in as much blood as he could.

This wasn't going to be a peaceful outing, he caught the scent of another vampire in the area, closing in on his location. The scent was unrecognizable, which meant only one thing: They would die. A vampire was lucky to survive trespassing through territory that wasn't their own. This vampire was rather unlucky, running into Jasper.

The woman was drained, nothing but an empty husk now. Jasper let her drop, stepping to the side, just in time for a fist to collide with the concrete. It only took a second to analyze the man, dark hair, equally as dark eyes, he hadn't fed in quite some time and was after Jasper's own meal. He let out a growl, letting the outsider know that he wasn't going to win, before kneeing him in his gut, knocking him back.

Jasper didn't give him the chance to regain his composure, before lunging forward, intent on planting his own fist in the mans face. He barely managed to block, nudging Jasper back, continuing to try and strike him, none of his hits landed, sending him into a rage. This kid was definitely newborn. He recklessly struck, without purpose, letting this violent nature take over him. The outsider leaped up, trying a kick this time, again, Jasper blocked him, shoving him away. He didn't care about Jasper, all he wanted was the blood, he could just use his enhanced strength against him. Sure, Jasper was skilled, but, he was strong, and went for a tackle, Jasper caught him, purposely falling back, throwing the kid off of him, returning to his crouched position and charging the kid himself, catching his throat, slamming him to the ground, and then dropping a knee on the kid's throat, pinning him under his weight, while his thumb dug into his eye socket, and slowly, ripped the newborn's skull apart. Earning his own damage as the only resistance the newborn mustered was to dig his fingers into Jasper's ribs.

He'd have time to deal with his remains later, right now, his meal was currently bleeding out through his head wound, so still in his hunched form, he scrambled over to the corpse, biting into him, draining what remained of his blood. When finished, he properly disposed of the newborns corpse, setting it ablaze, throwing the human corpses on the fire as well. Now, he could return to Elise, give her the proper training she needed, in the right state of mind.

Speaking of, the little newborn managed to shake off the effects of the opium, and now waited, hunched up in the corner, knees pulled to her chest. Her body was still on fire, the wound on her shoulder no longer existed, and little by little, she developed stronger night vision, able to see thing's a human couldn't. Each dust particle floating in the air, being one, individual grains of dirt, in a crack of cement, being another. What she was mainly interested in was the thread connecting her and Jasper. He was gone, but the ribbon still lingered, wrapped around her hand. Exactly what had he done to her? It seemed like an improvement…

Elise's gaze shot up, catching the thick, irony sweet smell of blood. It wasn't fresh, but it made her remember the searing pain in her throat. She darted across the room, hiding behind the wall separating the two halves of the basement. One doorway was closer to the stairs, the one where she lay in wait, was further away. Jasper had instructed her not to leave, but, if this delectable scent came to her, she could kill it, right? If her mind wasn't focused on the hunt, perhaps she would have questioned her sudden change of mentality, and desire to kill another being, yet, her judgment was clouded, personality receding. Footsteps echoed, lightly tapping against the wooden floors, making their way towards the basement door, heading down the stairs, she didn't wait to see a face before pouncing, slamming the male's shoulder into the wall, only for her technique to be immediately reversed, her back hitting the stone. Elise didn't falter, biting into the man's left shoulder, he let out a grunt of pain, before grabbing her jaw, forcing her off of him and throwing her to the ground. Again, she bolted up, driven by the desire for blood, this time, he was more prepared, grabbing her, tossing her to the ground, this time pinning her to the floor, a leg on one shoulder, an arm on the other, and his hand grasping her throat. The only thing she could move was her legs.

"Calm down." He demanded, only to have her continually trying to lash out. "If you don't stop, I will hurt you!" A wave of tranquility, hit her, bringing her back to her senses. Elise noticed his eyes, the same dark eyes, she gazed into earlier, now seeming a little brighter, the realization hit, it was just Jasper, blood soaking his jacket, and trailing from his lips, down his chin, definitely not a meal.

She surrendered, no longer trying to resist, guilt surfacing, regret showing in her eyes. "I-I'm sorry." Elise repeated his apology from earlier, earning a chuckle, as he moved off of her, offering his hand to help her up. "Sorry? You barely grazed me." She took his hand, absent-mindedly showing off her strength, pulling a little harshly as she made her way to her feet. "I bit into your shoulder!" She persisted, showing genuine concern. "And I did the same to you, we're even." His fingers traced the mark, it was coincidental, also on the left shoulder.

Taking her hand, he lead her back to the far corner of the basement. Only a little over two hours passed since she started turning, her eyes still held their emerald sheen, she was nowhere near through with her transformation, though already showing promise. "You're not going to want to be on your feet, once your heart stops, why don't you lay back down?" Elise was confused, her heart was going to stop? She was just going to die, after recovering as much as she had? Hadn't her heart already stopped, and started again? Why would it stop a second time? Feeling her confusion, Jasper figured she'd need a bit of an explanation, and pulled her close to him. "Hey!" She shrieked out, pushing against him. "Quiet, just place your ear to my chest, and listen." Elise was hesitant, but, did what he asked. There wasn't sound, no heartbeat, no breathing. "See, you'll be fine. Trust me."

"That's why you were so cold…."

He nodded, taking a step away. "You said my name earlier. Mind telling me how you know it?" He decided to finally ask, while she was still in a good enough condition, not writing in pain, clenching his shirt in her hand. Her gaze lowered to the floor. She hadn't talked about her gift in such a long time. "Well… I'm not sure how to explain it. I mean, I've always had it, but, never like this."

"This is something you're carrying over from your human life? Can you tell me more?" Jasper leaned against the wall, arms crossed, being careful not to take his eyes off the girl. His gift had also been something he carried over from life as a human, and Elise made him curious, he'd never been able to converse with another gifted.

"It's like the ability to see the connections between people, or something." Elise took a deep breath, stepping closer, slowly, not wanting to alarm her creator after their misunderstanding earlier that evening. "It isn't constant, I have to come in physical contact before I can see anything. When I was younger, I noticed it with my parents, a red ribbon, or light, whatever it is, was wrapped around them. Over time, it shrank and started to deteriorate, until I stopped seeing it. But, it isn't just the ability to see the bond of lovers, I also saw a bond between my brother and I, and most recently, me and you. But, it's strange, different than I'm used to. I've never been able to see a bond between two people who weren't in close proximity, yet, after I saw the ribbon around us, I was shown your strongest bond, the one you share with, Maria. In my mind, I could hear fragments of a conversation you two had, you both mentioned each others names. That's how I knew yours…"

"You know about Maria?" He was a bit perplexed, eyes narrowing. At least he knew Maria would most likely get along with their newest vampire. If her gift worked like she said it did, it could come in handy for hunting other covens down.

Elise held her hand out, palm open. Jasper placed his hand in her own, contemplating her objective. Would she be able to see more? Maybe she just wanted to confirm that for whatever reason, she felt bonded with him. She just stood quietly, staring at their hands, joined together. He still felt frozen, her skin still retaining its warmth. Her transformation was an awkward one. After a few minutes, he noticed her hand shaking, not due to his chilled body, the worry he felt resonating off her confirmed it. Elise was still in pain, trying to keep it suppressed. Her jaw clenched, eyes squeezing closed, while tightly grasping his hand.

Sighing, he knocked her feet from under her, forcing her to the ground, before sitting down next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. "This will prove to be an interesting week." He commented, only to hear an annoyed groan from Elise. "This is going to last a week?"

He chuckled. "No… Well, if you're severely unlucky, it might. Normally, transformations only last two, occasionally three days. I'm also going to be teaching you how to hunt and fight before taking you to Maria. You will be devoting your life to her."

"Uh, devoting my life?" Elise was uneased, she didn't care for the idea of working for some woman she never met. "You'll fight for her, until you are killed." He clarified, making her feel all the more anxious. "I don't think you chose the right girl… Do you realize how often my brother beat me up, as children?"

"You'll find that fighting for survival gives you a little more incentive to win."

She wondered about her parents. What would they do once they discovered her missing? There was no way she'd be able to see them again. Maybe, she could send them a message, tell them that she fell in love with a cute guy, and ran away to be with him, and that because of their recent behavior, she wouldn't be coming home. It would allow them to finally divorce, live the rest of their lives happily.

Jasper's coolness seemed to help take away some of the burn, she appreciated him being so willing to ease her pain. His kindness, uncanny. What did he get in return?  
Looking at him, he did seem to be a little uncomfortable. Did he feel her pain? Was that his ability? Elise decided to ask, shifting her position, to get a better view. "Jasper… Can you… feel the pain I'm in?" He was uncomfortable that she'd managed to decipher that information so quickly. "You're getting pretty personal for someone who hasn't introduced herself." Elise frowned, rolling her eyes. "You need to know my name in order for me to ask you a question, yet, pressing your body to mine and biting into my throat was a normal action for a stranger to take?" He was almost offended by that remark. "Besides, you haven't even introduced yourself. Isn't that the gentlemanly thing to do?"

"You already know my name."

"I know your FIRST name. For what you did, I think I deserve to know your surname." She was catty, just like her mother. A bit of arguing was enjoyable.

Another sigh, he'd given up. "Major Jasper Whitlock." He rang off his old title, and introduction, he'd grown used to giving. "Major? At your age? That's kind of attractive."

"Don't change the subject, we had an agreement."

"I don't remember agreeing." She teased Jasper gave her a look, making her giggle. "Elise Alexandria Luttrell."

 _ **To be continued….**_


	2. Pursuit

_**Chapter Two: Pursuit**_

 **S** ixty-seven hours have passed since Elise was bitten, and none of them pleasant. The bite itself was agonizing, Jasper's teeth easily ripping through her skin, tearing the flesh from her shoulder, cutting through her blood vessels. That and nearly bleeding out was nothing compared to the pain she had to endure once the venom was allowed to spread throughout her system. There was a brief pause, inflicting her desire to feed, smelling the remnants of her own blood, and the blood of two others lingering on Jasper's jacket, her instinct blinded her, causing her to bite into Jasper's shoulder, somehow accessing a portion of her strength at such an early stage of development.

After Jasper managed to calm her down, the two formally introduced themselves and Elise was given a warning. He still heard her heart, beating faintly, and told her that the pain would only increase once the beating ceased.

And he was right. She was still close to him, his arm still around her shoulder, the opposite hand held against her throat, his frigid skin helped cool down the heat. At least that's what she told him, but really, a few hours after her heart stopped, his scent became irresistible to her. Only becoming stronger with each passing hour. Though, he wasn't fooled, with the spark of excitement that flowed through her, along with the fact that she was continuing to breath, when she no longer needed to, he knew of her interest.

With Jasper calming her, she hadn't screamed much in the last several hours. Instead, he worked on, enforcing her positive emotions, she was happy, and calm. He also enhanced her excitement, relief, and gratitude. Elise was in pain, but, two days passed and she hadn't endured listening to anymore arguments between her parents. If it hadn't been for the fact she felt as if she was being burned alive, everything would be rather peaceful.

The silence was eating at Elise. How long had it been since Jasper spoke a word? He still hadn't answered her question, about his power, if he could feel her pain. He didn't seem too comfortable around her, his face looked like he was in pain himself. But, the hours they spent in the basement together, as time passed, the better she felt, the better he seemed to feel.

Currently, she concentrated on his scent, breathing it in. Sandalwood, amber, and a hint of peppercorn. Aside from the blood, he also carried the scent of rotting wood and dirt. She was attracted to him for whatever reason.

Abruptly, his hand moved from her chest, gripping her jaw, forcing her to look at him, examining her eyes, fully crimson now. To her, he looked so different, yet, the same. She could see more detail in his features. He had the same red gaze, albeit a few shades darker, but similar nonetheless. Jasper also had several scars, in the shape of bite marks around his neck and collar, even one on the left side of his jaw.

"Your transformation seems to be complete." Those were the first words he'd said to her in hours.

Hearing his voice again increased her interest in him. A desire to remain close, to take things even further. The only thing stopping her was his bond with Maria.

Jasper cocked his head, raising a brow. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm still curious about you. Your powers." She confessed, his hand dropping, pulling his arm free, standing. "Well, stop worrying. I'm not telling you."

Elise stood up, following him across the room, to the stairs. "That isn't fair, Jasper. You know mine."

"You'll get used to it. Your new life will be full of disappointment."

He was acting strange. Callous. Only seconds ago he was comforting her, now, he seemed angry? Was it because she mentioned his gift? Maybe, she'd let that fall under the radar for a while. It could be hard for him to talk about. Jasper probably had some traumatic memories or something, he did say he was a major.

A sigh left his lips, he turned to address her. "I'm going to take you hunting, I'll teach you everything you need to know, just follow me." It felt as if that was meant to be an apology of sorts.  
Elise followed him up the stairs, where light peeked through cracks in the ceiling. It was just starting to turn dusk, sun setting in the west. He seemed to hesitate, standing in the kitchen, near the back door, arms crossed, as if waiting for something. It was dark enough for them to head out, without fear of being seen. There was something else. Anger lingered in the air, it didn't belong to either of them.

He hated this.

Always being alone. He'd grown so used to it, and now, this newborn sent a plethora of signals, vividly depicting her emotions. Now he'd have to train her, show her the ropes of being a vampire, before turning her over to Maria, hoping that she'd find her useful, so that he could hold onto the whirl of positive emotions she brought with her. He was angry at Maria, forcing him to turn her. He wanted to be angry at Elise for seemingly accepting her new life so easily.

"Elise." He called out, his tone, strict, showing his anger. This inflicted fear. In the basement, she felt so safe in his arms, now, she didn't trust him. He changed too drastically.

Again, Jasper felt this distrust. "I'm not going to hurt you." He reassured her, hurting from the sudden negativity radiating from her.

Indifference. He was the man who killed her, why was she even trying to get on his good side? Why had she trusted him enough to stay so closely with him, in the first place? Whatever his power was, he used it to manipulate her.

She wanted to touch his hand again to see if he'd somehow manipulated her into seeing the bond between them. Noticing her move closer, Jasper glanced back, his movement nearly freezing her in place, she'd been caught. He half-smiled, offering his hand, piecing together what she was thinking.  
It was only natural for her to believe that he was somehow manipulating her ability, he'd thought the same about Maria his entire first month as a newborn. Until realizing that feeling other emotions was his gift.

Once she took his hand, he pulled her to him, walking outside, distracting her from her ability. "Before I take you into town, you do need to know our rules and the difference between folklore and actuality. Firstly, one of our main traits passed down through legends, is that we burn up when exposed to sunlight. That simply isn't true. Instead, when exposed to direct sunlight, the light gleams off our skin. This is so we appear as gods to humanity. Over one thousand years ago, our kind ruled over humanity, using this tactic. However, we are no longer allowed to reveal ourselves to the humans. Their intelligence is developing more and more with each passing year, and the Volturi are afraid that is humans knew of our presence, they would learn how to destroy us."

The sun was mostly hidden by the western horizon, but, due the overcast sky, the rays did not reflect off their skin as they stepped off the porch, into the tall unkempt grass. "That being said, if you are ever mid-hunt and someone notices you, they must be killed before word can spread, because the Volturi will find you. Being part of a newborn army, you are already susceptible to death. It only takes one slip up for them to sweep through the south and kill us all."

"So, the Volturi are like nobility or something?"

"They make the rules, and their command is absolute. To cross them, is to die. None stood against them and lived to tell the tale."

Elise finally glanced down, examining their hands, the ribbon still tightly wrapped around. There was now a small tear in it, formed by their doubts in each other. "Any new visions?" Jasper commented, curious. She shook her head. "No, I'm just trying to figure out what binds us together. I've never instantaneously formed a bond with someone."

Slipping his hand away, Jasper spoke up, feeling need to actually speak his mind for a change. "You're not quite like any newborn I've ever been around. Usually, they're too concerned about their thirst to figure anything else out. Your only concern seems to be me. Not that I mind the attention." He gave her a flirtatious, wry, smile. "It's easier than chasing you down, trying to keep you from killing an entire town."

The burn in her throat hadn't went away, the fire mainly subsided. Aside from the blood on Jasper's coat and her own blood staining the gown she wore, there was nothing around. Out of sight, out of mind, in a way. The dryness still plagued her, she'd do anything to purge the pain. However, as of now, it was not deemed important. Jasper overruled. She needed to listen to his instructions, and, Elise just wanted to be next to him. The feeling he gave her was most comparable to having butterflies in her stomach.

"I just wish I could explain how I felt…" Being lovestruck wasn't an easy thing to explain, especially not to a guy who was barely anything more than a stranger. No matter how many hours he'd held her. She knew next to nothing about him. Yet, here she was, nearly head over heels for him.

Jasper let go of her hand, placing his on her shoulder, in a comforting gesture. "You don't have to. I'm pretty talented when it comes to reading someone." She hadn't fully decided if she was confident in him or not , fluctuating between acceptance and trust. "From what I can tell, you seem to have a positive mindset. There's some strife and sorrow, but, you aren't grief stricken, nor are you trying to kill me, that alone speaks volumes about you." He quieted himself, not wanting to give Elise too much of a hint about his powers. Maria didn't like the newborns knowing. Quickly, Jasper had to change the subject.

"Anyway, I'm sure you realize this, but, our bite has the capability to change a human to an immortal, so long as you leave them alive. Currently, you will not be practicing this skill. It is reserved for Maria, and whoever she grants permission. If for some reason you do change a human, they must be at least thirteen in age. Children are not to be turned. The Volturi has means to trace the child back to you, and you back to me. I will destroy the child and you myself if you ever make that mistake. That being said, if you ever see an immortal child, you must seek out the Volturi and report the child. Do not destroy the child, they are going to want more proof than just your word."

"Hey, speaking of, how old are you?" She interrupted, much to Jasper's irritation. "You are listening to me, right? Not just hearing the parts you want?"

"Yeah, of course, don't change people and especially don't change turn children, don't cause a seen if I see one and report them to the Volturi. I just wanted to know how old you are, I mean, you said you were a major? You don't really look any older then I am."

"Physically, I'm only 19. Actually, I'm 35. I've been a vampire for 16 years. What about yourself?"

"Well, physically, I'm 17 and actually, I'm still 17." She replied, her comment causing, Jasper to chuckle. She was amusing.

Gesturing her to follow, he started heading towards the wilted fields, closer to Carthage. The sun nearly faded away completely, darkness sweeping in, spelling the doom of the unfortunate souls who would cross the two vampire's path, this evening.  
"Another thing you need to know is that we are not the only supernatural beings in this world. Werewolves are unfortunately also real, and forbidden to associate with. If you come across one, you either run, or you kill it. There are also shapeshifters, people who can take the form of animals. But, they're stronger than their normal counterpart. Some of their groups like to lure hungry vampires in, to kill them. Watch out for them. One or two of them are no problem, easily killable, especially in your state, if there's a larger group, they will use their numbers to the advantage. Since I'm personally training you, you shouldn't have much of a problem escaping or eliminating your opponent. Unless, you halt the altercation to ask their age." He nudged her playfully.

Why was he so willing to be open with her? It was like he was finally able to act like himself, and not have to keep up a facade for the sake of an army. He didn't even have to beg for her attention, she gave it to him willingly, asking for nothing in return. Elise's feelings fluttered around as she tried to figure him out, figure herself out, and no ill will came from her. It was serene.

"One last thing, when hunting, it is imperative that you hunt only humans who won't be missed. Thugs, prostitutes, the scum of life, basically. Their blood isn't as good, normally tainted by drugs or disease, but, will sustain you all the same. That's part of the reason I couldn't stop drinking from you. It's been quite some time since I've tasted clean blood. Not only clean, but, there was a sweetness to it. I hadn't noticed it at first, when Maria pointed it out, but, you were very desirable. I have no doubt that she would have slaughtered you."

An uneasiness built in Elise, it was strange, uncomfortable to talk about her blood like that, she didn't mind Jasper calling her desirable, but, wanted it to be under different circumstances. Sensing the awkward air between the two, Jasper dropped the subject, only to feel a new impulsive urge of hers, aimed towards him. "Oh wow…" He breathed, speaking just under his breath. In her frozen state, her hormones were making it clear what she wanted, and from the intensity her desires came in, it was clear that she wasn't just settling, believing Jasper to be the only option. She'd chosen him, and was the origin of their bond. Whether her choosing him was subconscious or not, if she hadn't made such advances, he would've treated her like any other newborn.  
Maria was such a different story. Most of her emotions were negative, and many of her sexual needs were selfish, though Jasper had grown used to ignoring that and fooled himself into believing that she genuinely wanted him.

Jasper and Elise looked over to each other locking eyes, only for them both to pull away, sharing the embarrassment. A genuine smile formed across Jasper's face, he'd have to make it a habit of hanging around her, it was nice to feel good, feel that someone wanted to be around him, rather than nothing but anger and bloodlust. Maybe the next four days wouldn't be so bad.

"Is there anything else you need to tell me, Jasper?" Elise managed to squeak out after a moment, as they came to a halt, just at the edge of the field. "Uh, yeah. Just a few differences between fact and fiction." He was having a bit of difficulty concentrating, still thinking about the desire he pulled from her.

He explained that vampires didn't have a need for sleep, and as stated before, couldn't be harmed by sunlight, nor holy water, running water, stakes crosses, garlic of any human weapon invented thus far. Humanity didn't even pose enough of a threat that fire would be of any use, seeing as the vampire could easily destroy the human before they had the chance. They did have reflections and would appear in photographs. They wouldn't drown since they had no need to do so, but, still possessed the ability if it was needed to blend in. Other supernatural beings would rip a vampire apart, paralyzing them, before setting them aflame. Limbs could easily be reattached, so long as a vampire was not decapitated. Losing your head is what paralyzed also had no effect, and no, permission to enter a building wasn't a real thing. Most vampiric weaknesses were legends circulated by the Volturi, in order to keep the truth shrouded.

Jasper also explained about her newfound abilities. Her increased senses, those legends were true, but, not every vampire was equal. His greatest feats were his power and speed, another could have completely different attributes. Looking at Elise, her dominant trait would be durability. Able to take several hits during combat, without slowing her down. He'd go into more detail once seeing what she was currently capable of.

Elise subconsciously glanced back down to their hands. He taken her hand again, and when she went to pull away, his grip tightened, whether he realized it or not. "You really know a lot." She looked back up to him, seeing that he'd been watching her in return. "That's what happens when you don't have much to do for a decade and a half. Aside from feeding and fighting."

"Um, by the way…. How often do you have to feed?" It was obvious that Elise wasn't his only victim that evening. She smelled two other scents on his jacket, biting him because of it.

"Once or twice every two weeks is what a vampire should live on. But, your first year will be a lot like mine, you'll only be feeding once a month, possibly more if Maria takes a liking to your ability. The other newborns will try and kill you if you are favored. The will also try to take your meals if you're sent out hunting together. There's always competition, don't trust anyone."

She looked down at their hands again. "Even you?" Elise was somehow adorable with how naive she acted.  
Rolling his eyes, he let out a quiet exhalation of amusement. "Especially me, doll. Though, it isn't like you'll have much of a choice." She squeezed his hand. "I... Want to trust you."

Guilt plagued him. He'd killed a countless number of newborns, all who he forced to believe that they trusted him, and here comes another newborn doomed to the same fate, willingly trusting him. "Don't…" His tone hushed, not even sure if she could hear him.

Jasper wanted to tell her to run, to find a way to live her own life. But, there were too many creatures that hunted and killed their kind, she wouldn't make it alone. At least with Maria, he could influence her to believe that Elise's gift was useful, keep her alive a little longer.

"How touching." A female voice rang out. Anger seething through her words. It was the same rage he felt earlier.

Both vampires turned their attention to the newcomer, a tall, brunette woman, wearing a tattered dress. Jasper,Instinctively, pulled Elise behind him. He wasn't sure if she had any combat experience, and he didn't know how adept at combat their opponent was. They weren't exactly within the southern war territory, this area was a bit more docile. All the same, with the appearance of the newborn three days ago, there could've been a new army forming, more covens to compete with.

The stranger laughed, watching him protectively move in front of Elise. "Oh, don't worry, I'm not going to harm your sweet, little mistress. She's only just been reborn. I plan on waiting. I want to make you both suffer."

He let out a low animalistic growl, leaning into a crouch. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into, woman." Elise wasn't quite sure how to react, but, if Jasper was wary of this woman, it was only natural that she should be too, she followed his lead, ready to fight if necessary.

"Helena." She corrected, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "And, yes, I do. You're from Maria's army, correct? Her personal pet? Does she know you picked out a pet of your own?" A smirk formed across her face. "I wonder, what would she do if she found out? From what I've heard, you tend to avoid standing too close to the newborns, you like to keep your distance. I was quite surprised, seeing the two of you holding hands, I thought maybe you were just putting on a big brother act, lulling her into a false sense of security. Now, it seems like you want to play the role of her mate. She must make you feel go-"

"Shut your mouth!"

"Oh, did I touch a nerve?" The woman was smug, not seeming to be concerned with the fact that Jasper was ready to attack her. "Protect that newborn of yours, Jasper." Helena warned, before lunging for the two, completely contradicting her earlier statement.

Jasper was hoping to allow Elise to hunt, before engaging in any kind of battle, to keep her mind free from distraction. With this woman, Helena, now in the way, that wasn't going to happen, and her training was going to be a little more hands on.

They needed to end this before any harm could come to the town.

She didn't want to get close to Jasper, knowing his reputation. He reached out to grab her, just to have her duck under his arm, before knocking him forward, barely giving Elise enough time to react, grabbing Helena's arm and redirecting her blow, catching her off balance enough so Jasper could turn, catching her opposite arm, preparing to sever the appendage from the joint. Helena panicked, pulling against him, striking his throat. His fist connected with her left arm rather than her right, cracking the skin around her elbow, nearly breaking through, until her entire being shattered, leaving both vampires confused.

Jasper had implied that vampires were nearly indestructible, if it wasn't for the look of surprise on his face, Elise would've thought that he killed her.

"I see I'm going to need more strength to get through you." Her voice called from the field, Jasper's eyes locating her position immediately. She couldn't have been that old. Probably a newborn that ran off during conflict, in order to prevent being destroyed. "Train your newborn well, Jasper. I wouldn't want Maria to kill her before I get the chance."

Jasper went to lunge forward, to end her, but, Elise grabbed his hand, before he had the chance to move away from her. "Elise!" He yelled back to her, yanking his arm free. "It's a trap, she wants you away from me!" There was a distressed shriek from further back in the field, opposite of where Jasper would have attacked. The version of her that he saw, shattering like before. The wilted crops rustled, signifying that this time, she was actually withdrawing. Jasper was quiet, upset that his emotions had gotten the better of him, because of the rage Helena felt, he felt the same anger, and planned on acting on it. After a moment of collecting himself, he started walking forward, towards town. Elise following closely.

Finally, they'd made it into the city, Jasper instructed Elise to wait for him, while he went further into the city to feed, before taking her out, to avoid the possibility of conflict forming between the two. If Jasper was fed, he'd be able to control himself easier, rather than snapping at her, and trying to kill her for her meal. It was his job to make sure her feeding frenzy was kept in control.

While waiting, she strolled up and down the main street through town, the shopping district. No one was around. Aside from the few shopkeepers who lived in, their stores, and those at the bar down the street. It was easy to duck into an alley, or between two buildings whenever someone looked her way. She was far faster.

Those in the bar were appetizing, her venom, salivating her mouth, able to feel their heat from across town. Elise quickly turned around, ready to head back, not to be tempted, when she noticed a piece of paper, nailed to the outside of the confectionery, a shop that her mother visited often, being close friends with Ms. Belkmore, though, she insisted that the kids call her Ms. Margaret. Elise had fond memories of this place.

Walking closer, she ripped the paper from the nail, her mother's perfume lingering around the note. It was handwritten, reading that she was looking for her runaway daughter, with a short description added at the bottom.

She needed to let her parents know that she wasn't coming back home. Not only to give closure to herself and her family, but, Jasper had alerted her that vampires were only supposed to feed on those who wouldn't be missed. There was no way anyone could accuse him, no one knew who he was, still, just in case, she'd lead them the wrong direction.

Her hand touched the knob, quietly turning, the door left unlocked, as it often was. The people in this town relied far too much on trust. She left the door open, walking inside, the smell of the candies and chocolate becoming stronger and more apparent. Strange that she no longer had a desire for it.

Making her way across the hardwood floor, she was surprised to see that she could walk lightly enough not to make a sound. Once around the counter, she headed through the doorway to the main house, her mother's perfume thickening the air. She was here, staying in the guest bedroom. They must've had another fight.

Elise was quick to locate a desk, in front of a set of windows, facing the river. Remembering that her mother would often watch her and Margaret's children play out back. A bittersweet feeling formed in the pit of her stomach, as her sorrow finally broke through to the surface. There was a blank sheet of paper lying on the desk, along with a pen and ink. At least she didn't have to search for them. Taking a deep breath, she began to write.

 _"Mom,_

 _I know you're worried. I'm sorry that I left without a word, and I'm sorry that I'm not returning. It's time for me to start my own life, and I never told you, but, I met and fell in love with someone. He was just passing through, and originally, I was just going to let him go, until I realized that I loved him. We share a bond that cannot be explained._

 _He's great, and there's no need to worry, though I know you still will, no matter what I write. We're heading East, back to his home. Maybe, in the future, I'll return. You can meet your grandchildren, if we have any, and him. I'm sure he'd love to meet you._

 _Tell father and Simeon that I love and miss them._

 _Your daughter,_

 _Elise."_

Once completed, she picked up the paper, walking towards the guest bedroom, door left cracked open, but, her mother was asleep, Elise could hear her light snoring. She halted in the doorway, realizing that like every other human, her mother had blood, and despite all the sentimental feelings she'd just felt, Elise now wanted to rip her open.

A hand grabbed Elise by her waist. "Don't breathe." A familiar male voice whispered, too softly for a human's ears. It could only be one person, Jasper had come looking for her. She closed her eyes, attempting to swallow the ache. Her nerves calmed, allowing her to push the bloodlust out of her mind. This was her mother, no way could she have harmed her.

Without letting another second pass, she stepped inside, placing both her written letter and the letter her mother had written on the table next to her bed, before turning and rushing out of the room, pushing passed Jasper, who merely watched in awe at her self control and couldn't help but feeling sorry for her, sensing the guilt and sorrow she released, when saying goodbye. A human would have easily been in tears.

He was curious as to what exactly she wrote, and stepped inside the room herself, reading the note. Elise was lying. Which was good for her new life, but, bad for her inner turmoil. He'd taken her perfectly normal life from her, the least he could do was to honor her wish and help give her mother some inner peace.

Returning to the previous room, letter in hand, he retrieved the pen, writing his own note on the bottom of the page. _"I promise to take care of your daughter. I know she's as precious to you, as she is to me."_ Like Elise, he too signed just his first name. She did deserve to know.

After being so close to more humans, he retreated as well, searching for his newborn again. All he needed to do was lock on to her emotions, rapidly changing, she was even more confused, having her closure, but, opening a new wound. Her letter was about him. The love she somehow felt for him. And maybe, he actually saw her as precious, as he'd written.

Elise was waiting in a back alley, ironically just behind the bank, when he approached, she could no longer control herself, looping her arms around his waist. Feeling her anguish, Jasper returned the embrace, fingers weaving through her hair, keeping her close. She needed time to grieve, and she needed comfort. It was never easy to leave family.

The two held each other, Elise was squeezing him a bit too tightly, but, he didn't sense any malicious intent resonating from her, and knew it wasn't her intention to harm him. It was quite the opposite, actually, she finally decided that their bond was strong enough to trust him. She pulled back, moving her hands to his sides, gazing up to him, she gave him a sweet smile. Her sorrow wasn't gone, Jasper's presence was enough to help her, and he hadn't tried to influence her. What he received from her was genuine affection.

Moving his hand to her chin, Jasper leaned in, his lips, parting, nearly meeting hers. Elise was going to let him, despite knowing of the bond he shared with Maria. It went against her beliefs, the reason she turned her childhood friend down. Because there was someone else.

"Whooooa, looks like you're out passed your bedtimes." A man slurred, beginning to head down the alley towards them. He was clearly drunk, slurring his words and wobbling. Two other equally as drunk men followed, cackling. They were too intoxicated to realize the dark stains running down both the back, and front of Elise's gown was her blood. The two separated further, but, Jasper kept her hands in his, whispering softly. "Drunken men are the easiest prey."

"Man, she sure is a cutie."

"Quite a looker."

The other two remarked.

"Hey, boy, why don't you just leave the girl in our hands, we'll take goooood care of her, and you won't get hurt in the process." The first man called out again, nearly falling over himself. Jasper nudged her in front of him, letting go of her hand. "Sounds like a great time. Mind if I watch?" He spoke, hand on the small of her back. "Rip them apart." His voice quieting again. Elise glanced back, swallowing hard, wanting to resist her need, not sure if she'd be able to handle it, but, the burn pushed back. These men were going to die.

Her weight shifted, leaning on her dominant leg.

"Finally, a willing participant." The drunkard muttered again, this time successfully falling over himself, scraping his arm. Both vampires took in a deep breath, smelling the freshly spilled blood, and before another thought could cross their minds, they were both in full sprint, charging the three men.

The first was just starting to make it back to his feet, when Elise's knee connected to his chin with a sickening crack, he fell backwards, only to have Elise crawl over top of him, sinking her teeth into his neck, ripping through his flesh, rupturing his blood vessels, sucking his life away. Jasper took care of the other two, grabbing one of their arms, throwing him into the other, knocking both out. Though he'd just fed, his throat still responded, the ache resurfacing, he too bit into one of the men, draining their blood.

They were drained within minutes, and both vampires wanted the last victim, Jasper turned, and Elise looked up, the third man lay between them, starting to regain his consciousness. A growl echoed from each of them, warning the other to stay away. Elise was first to act, quicker than Jasper, springing up and towards the man, close to biting him, only to be interrupted by her partner, grabbing her by her throat, and knocking her to the ground. She kicked him in the stomach, giving her enough room to escape his grip, attempting to reverse the hold, only to be tossed against the building, and placed in another grasp. Jasper pinned one of her arms down, his other hand squeezing her jaw, causing her skin to crack. Elise's hand was gripped tightly around his arm, seconds from breaking it, when the third man came to his senses, gasping in terror.

"W-what are you?"

His voice drew Jasper back to his senses. He didn't want the man's blood, there was no point in being gluttonous. Elise needed it, she'd barely gotten a taste and needed to quench her thirst. Realizing this, he backed off, throwing her towards him, seeing nothing but food in her sights, she latched on, biting and sapping away his vital fluids too.

There was a strange elegance in how Elise fed. She made sure not to waste any blood, for being a newborn, she was far less vicious than Jasper was. He ripped into his victims, causing more damage than what was necessary, fully giving into his instincts. She didn't have any more control, but, treated her meals like they were sacred, every drop counted.

That was concerning, considering the fact that Jasper was her opponent, and her back was now turned to him, leaving her open and vulnerable. She hadn't even looked over her shoulder.

He took a step forward, wondering what her reaction would be if he simply got too close. She twitched, hearing his footsteps, dropping the body to the ground, standing and turning to face him, a fierce look in her eyes. She had the piercing glare of a vampire down, at least.

But, her eyes quickly softened, slowly coming to her senses, recalling that moments ago, her bloodlust forced her to attack, Jasper, and he returned the attack. He was skilled, easily able to toss a newborn around. Elise had seen some of that skill with Helena, dodging and slipping around her attacks.

Blood ran down his chin, and neck, soaking his shirt. Elise immediately picked up on the scent, taking a step towards him, licking her lips. She was in the right mind, now that she'd fed, but, with one worry purged, the other surfaced, even stronger than before. Desire. Her eternal youth yearned for him, hormones, both frozen and heightened, desperately seeking relief from everything pent up inside. He could provide that. Jasper's pheromones had complete control over her, silently affecting the intensity of her arousement. They weren't perfect together, but, a match nonetheless.

"Elise?" He called out, narrowing his eyes. She'd been silently staring at him for the last few minutes, taking the slowest walk imaginable. And just like that, she was directly in front of him, one hand on his waist, pulling him toward her, the other hand, open palmed on his chest. She took in a sharp breath, as he cocked a brow, looking down at her, attempting to figure her motives out. He still didn't feel as if he was in any danger. She gave him a smile, "I didn't trust you." Elise seemed amused, he'd warned her not to, and in the heat of the moment, she saw him as her enemy.  
It was time to revise that. Stretching up, standing on her tip toes, she licked the blood off his neck. He responded well, tilting his head back, giving her a better opening. Her arm grabbed his shoulder for leverage, lapping up as much blood as she could, earning a groan from him. Her attention turned to his jaw, continuing to lick up to his chin, until his hand moved up, caressing her cheek, and bringing her lips to his own, tongues meeting, dancing around each other.

Heels clacked against the pavement, a figure had leaped down from the roof. "Now there's an alternative to bathing I could get behind." The vampire's released each other, noticing the new arrival. A tall, slender woman, with light blonde hair and a delicately soft voice. It wasn't Helena, nor was it Maria, the voice didn't match the one she'd heard during her transformation. "I was wondering who was daring enough to march into this town." There was a big smile across the woman's face, examining Elise, eyes flickering between her and Jasper.

"Lucy.. What you saw, it-"

"Relax, Jas. I'm not about to go tattle to Maria. Besides, she looks good on you." The girl replied, cheerily. "How new is she?"  
"This is her third day."  
"Oh, that fresh and you already have a crush on her? Interesting."

Jasper sighed. "Why are you here? You're supposed to be guarding our territory in Stillwater. Or did you just feel like taking a midnight stroll?"  
"Sent by Maria actually. She's very angry. Nettie's group lost the San Angelo territory. Only she and two newborns survived. Well, actually, it's only her now." Lucy sounded rather bitter, implying that Maria had killed the newborns which survived. "Maria wants to give up all control of her northern territories, in order to have all three of us grouped closer together to reclaim what was lost."  
She narrowed her eyes, "She'd probably be even more upset if she found out that she was fighting a war, while you were here making out with your new girlfriend."

The air between Jasper and Lucy was tense, both glaring at each other. Jasper able to sense her ill will towards him, but, he decided to stay calm, as if he didn't know a thing. He'd be mentioning that to Maria later.

Lucy's whole demeanor changed, her smile returning. "I'm just kidding, Jasper, don't look so serious." She relaxed, but, Jasper hadn't, just in case she also had the idea of trying to eliminate Elise and himself. "Anyway, Maria also wants the two of you to take up watch at Stillwater, during your training, before meeting back up with her outside of Goliad."

"Understood."

"And, you should probably change clothes, I don't think you can pass off being human when you're walking around with a girl wearing a nightgown, covered in blood. Maybe take an actual bath, instead of licking the blood off each other."

He was growing irritated, tempted on killing her name, and claiming she never made it to them. Elise wouldn't say a word if he intimidated her, would she? "Be quiet." He demanded, seemingly disgusted that she was still talking. "If I could still get headaches, you'd be the main cause."

"Well, you're going to love this. Maria wants me to stick with you, until you reach Stillwater."

She was smug, hands on her hips, showing her sass. Jasper was severely annoyed, arm crossed, glaring at her, and Elise, she didn't know what to think. Jasper acted completely different towards Lucy. And once Lucy showed up, he started gravitating away, not wanting to show Lucy exactly how affectionate, he'd been, hoping to pass it off as a heat of the moment situation.

But, as much as he hated to admit it, Lucy was right, they needed to bath, and needed a change of clothes. Maybe he'd send Lucy out to gather them, give her something to do, and it would keep her away.

 _ **To be continued….**_


	3. Echoes Of War

_**Chapter Three: Echoes Of War**_

 **W** ith the bodies disposed of, set aflame within the house where Elise and Jasper stayed the previous three two nights, the three vampires made their way to the neighboring town, Alba. There was a nice stream nearby, a little ways away from the town.

Since Helena, was a threat to Elise's safety, and Elise herself was only a newborn, Jasper demanded Lucy to head into town, and pilfer new attire, something a bit more proper for Elise and less blood covered, if they were to be spotted by travelers.  
Between the three of them, eight had been killed. Elise killed two, Lucy had another two, and including his newborn, Jasper took four lives. They were unsure on how many Helena and the newborn took, it would be too dangerous for them to kill anyone else. The Volturi would get involved.

Lucy didn't like the idea of becoming Jasper's lackey for the evening, but, Maria wouldn't want a blood hungry newborn ransacking houses, and Lucy's suggestion of him leaving Elise with her only fell on deaf ears. He wasn't having it, she was intent on staying by his side. She had no choice aside from swallowing her pride.

Jasper and Elise waited down at the river, far enough away from the town that they wouldn't be spotted. The trees and brush kept them more than covered, and being undead, they didn't need a fire to keep them warm, making them even harder to spot.

The newborn seemed to be enjoying herself, sitting at the edge of the riverbank, feet in the water, gently kicking the water, watching the moonlight reflect off of each bead. Her curiosity was like that of a child, she saw something new, and wanted to play with it. From Jasper's point of view, it was rather adorable, a nice breath of fresh air. Usually he'd spend most of a newborn's first week fighting them, tearing off their limbs, keeping them from seeking humans out. Elise was docile.  
Still thirsty, her anticipation giving her away, but, nevertheless, serene.

Amazement easily overpowered her hunger, being excited at how differently the world looked and felt. Normally the water would be frigid to the touch, not something you'd want to willingly stick your feet into. Now, against her frozen body, it felt warm.  
The night sky was even more beautiful, Elise still couldn't see the stars in detail, however, the increase in what she could see, how much brighter they sparkled still mesmerized her.  
Sight and touch weren't the only increase, her hearing was much better, Elise could hear the wildlife nearby, tree branches and leaves crunching under the hooves of a buck. Jasper was a few feet away from her, in the trees, and she still heard him take a breath.

Jasper was trying to distance himself from her, pretend she didn't exist, or at least that he didn't feel so content around her. He was difficult to understand, but, Elise was stubborn. She wasn't just going to let him ignore whatever spark was between them. They were supposed to be friends.

Sucking in a breath, she called out his name, being sure to keep her eyes on the water. She didn't want to look back and see a disgruntled expression.  
He was silent for a minute, light raking a nail through a branch, he'd broken from the tree, gaze fixated on his little newborn, still swishing the water around. Jasper sensed worry, Elise switched from a content mindset to a pensive one. It would be hard to break her attachment to him. He enjoyed it so much.  
For now, he decided to cater to her, replying with a simple, "Yes?"

"I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have-" How hadn't he pieced everything together? Of course she was worried about their shared everything Lucy spouted out, Elise was likely scared of how Maria would react, if he'd even tell her. Hopefully, he'd be able to ease her nerves. "Don't worry about it. I'm the one who reciprocated your actions."

Elise didn't blame him, nor did she blame herself. They were both entrapped within a feeding frenzy. As soon as she tasted blood, her emotions and her movements weren't her own. Nothing felt right, not bleeding a man out, not fighting Jasper, not kissing him….  
Okay, maybe the kissing was alright. She wasn't trying to convince herself that she didn't like him, when she did. It wasn't just because of the bond formed between them. His body felt good against hers, his scent was amazing and Jasper's lips were soft. Everything invited her in.

Shaking that feeling away, Elise decided to be a little nosey about their so-called leader, daring to ask. "Can you… Tell me about, Maria?" It wasn't that she wanted to get the edge on her competition, she wanted to know more about her. Moreover, she wanted to know what Jasper thought of her.

"Maria." Her name left his lips in a melancholic tone. "She's a very complicated woman." Jasper leapt from the branch, landing on the other side of the river. Humans wouldn't of been able to continue the conversation, two vampires, however, could still hear each other clearly. "As I am your creator, she is mine." There was a bitterness in this reply."  
"Maria along with Lucy and Nettie founded our coven. She is ambitious, impatient, aggressive, and merciless. My little ball of spite." The more he spoke, the more she could hear a tender affection surfacing. "She expects everyone to perform at their best, and doesn't offer second chances if you mess up. In a manner of speaking, she's our own personal version of the Volturi."

Since she was already prying, it was a good idea to ask about the others, make it seem like she wanted to know more about the coven as a whole. "And, Lucy? You don't seem to care for her."  
"Lucy's the one who doesn't care for me. She's jealous." Voice full of deprecation.  
Lucy's jealousy built gradually, over the years, but, each passing day, he could feel what she felt. He was taking up too much of Maria's attention.  
"Seven years ago, Maria suggested splitting up the army, in order to take over more territory. Create three out of one, Maria and I lead the main army, Lucy and Nettie would both lead separate armies. Meaning they both had to learn to not kill their victims. They'd needed their own newborns to fight, since they were no longer allowed to follow in Maria's shadow."

"Does Nettie feel the same way?" Elise questioned, half-listening to his story, focusing more on her own thoughts. Doubt surfaced. From the way Jasper spoke, Elise and any other newborn weren't expected to live long. She debated leaving, wondering if she could even make it by herself. She decided against it. Elise didn't have enough knowledge of this new world.

"Why do you care?" He huffed, feeling her emotions fluctuate, yet again. Couldn't she make up her mind?  
Elise took a deep breath, not liking how irritated he'd become since Lucy's arrival."I just thought it'd be nice to know what I was getting myself involved with." She pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around, before allowing her head to rest. "That, and I do like you." Jasper looked up, cocking his head to the side, caught off guard by a new sentiment. Pity. She pitied him, because of how reserved he acted. It was a nice gesture, to show such compassion for him. He would've liked to have known someone like her in his human life.

Jasper leaped back over to her side of the river, landing next to her. "Really? Didn't seem like you wanted to talk to me three days ago." He teased, deciding to let her warmth inside, just for a little while. Elise smiled, lifting her head, though refusing to look up at him. "Well, I mean, you did murder me." Jasper let out a chuckle. "Yeah, I did." He paused, thoughtful.  
"What gave me away?" She'd been so wary of him, when she should've been entranced, engulfed by his beauty, as so many strangers had before. No one realized what danger they were in, until it was too late.  
She didn't answer, despite hearing him, she wasn't sure what to say and just muttered a light, "Hmm?"  
It was a difficult question to answer. He knew she probably just needed a minute to think, to try and recall any event before being turned was difficult for a lot of vampires. Some found it easier than others, able to recall their prior life for years after their transformation, and there were cases where someone wouldn't be able to recall their own name, if not reminded. The latter cases were less common, but, it really depended on how your prior life was before. Different events had different effects.

"Ah, well….." She stopped herself, kicking the water as she thought. That night wasn't a complete haze to her, she remembered her parents' argument, though now, she had no clue what it was about, and she remembered what all had happened throughout the day. A trip to the bakery, her mother repaired a tear on Elise's favorite dress, not that it mattered much now. She also recalled having a conversation with…. Someone. Her memory skipped over that part.  
"I guess, it was because I didn't recognize you. And, well, I'm not exactly dressed properly. My parents would've killed me if they knew."  
He shrugged. "If I were still human, I would've let you sneak back into your room."  
"A true gentleman." Finally, she turned her head up, looking at him, meeting his gaze, smiling.

A branch nearby creaked, another one snapping, before a whoosh was heard, Jasper reaching out, catching the branch just before it would have collided with Elise. "Lucy, do you really want to anger _MY_ newborn? She's still thirsty, it wouldn't take much for her too rip your head off, and I can't promise that I would stop her. Newborns are fast."  
An angry scoff was let out, as Lucy's feet hit the ground, a basket in hand. "First you make me your slave, now you're threatening me? Aren't we supposed to be friends?"  
"You don't have to get along with your co-workers, you just have to get the job done. Something you and Nettie haven't been doing."

"Of course. The never questioning soldier. Have you truly never wondered if what Maria wants, is wrong? She made you kill an innocent girl, Jasper. A girl who had a great future ahead of her."  
Jasper was getting angry, purposely sending out vibes of intimidation. Maria was his lover. She'd never make him do anything if it wasn't for their benefit.

The branch easily crumbled in his grip, either side falling to the ground. Lucy, being further away, was just now beginning to feel the effects, and was now regretting what she'd said, seeing the anger in his eyes as he moved to a hunched down position, ready to charge her. She knew she was no match, and slowly backed away.

Elise was an innocent bystander, who currently was deathly afraid of him. Collateral damage. Her hearing picked up a low ringing, one that hadn't been present until Jasper got angry. Maybe it was more of a buzz than a ring, she wasn't sure, it faded in and out. Suddenly, everything clicked together. Jasper's ability was emotion manipulation, he'd been using it on her the entire time. He helped keep her calm during her transformation, and he'd used it several times after.  
Now, Jasper wasn't himself, letting the anger cloud his judgment. He'd said that he knew Lucy didn't like him, maybe he could feel others emotions too? That's why he wanted to put distance between himself and his aroused newborn, why he so eagerly responded to her advances with his own.

The newborn slowly moved, Jasper's eyes flickering over to her long enough to make sure she wasn't planning to attack him, and when he looked away, Lucy flashed a devious smirk. She was only afraid because he forced her to feel that way, in reality, she wanted him to attack her, it was a trap. Lucy's own hatred was fueling his desire to fight.

Not a second later, Jasper sprinted towards her, nearly taking her head off with the first blow. Dropping the basket, she was lucky to duck under and around his arm, but, not lucky enough to stop him from turning, and catching her leg mid-leap, as she tried to distance herself. Not thinking about the repercussions if a human were to notice him, he threw her across the stream and into the rock wall, her body hit with a loud crack, sending chunks of broken stones into the water, causing quite a ruckus. They were going to get caught, and that was her plan, only she wouldn't be claiming her share of the blame. There was a certain newborn with a tie to the male vampire who'd easily fit in her place.

Jasper charged towards her again, this time, Elise moved to intercept them, knocking Lucy back into the water before trying to deal with him. Trying to figure out a way to calm him down.

He tried to move around the newborn, since Elise was not his target, however, she didn't let him, and reached out, grabbing his arm, pulling him back, surprised at her own strength.  
"You need to stop." She tried speaking calmly, only to have him jerk his arm free, pushing her away.  
Again, she got up, rushing to move between them, shoving him to the side, having Jasper now concentrate on her, which, in turn, meant that his ability was now on full force, making her fear him. Quite literally petrifying her. The will to move, sapped away.

His hand gripped around her jaw, the other firmly placed against her shoulder, and he started trying to pry her apart. She was helpless, too inexperienced to know what her next course of action should be. The fear kept her from thinking straight. Her eyes glanced to the river, Lucy only stood there, watching the show.  
Elise's skin started to crack, she felt her throat begin to swell up, the burn was nothing compared to this new pain the surfaced as her creator tried to decapitate her. Her hands clasped his arms, prying away just a bit of his strength, enough to knee him in the stomach, forcing his grip to release, all while Elise, like Lucy, tried to move away, only to have him grab her, facing her away from him and trap her within his embrace, arms locked around her, preventing her from even moving her own arms. If he couldn't decapitate her, crushing would suffice.

It felt like the wind was knocked from her lungs, at least, that was the easiest way to describe it. The searing pain now across her waist, her skin cracking under the pressure. As much as she thrashed around, Elise couldn't wiggle herself free, she hadn't even managed to wedge her hands between his arms and her body. There was no way out of this hold.

Lucy let out a sigh, growing bored watching the show. It was too one sided. "It's only been three days, Jasper. No need to kill her, yet." She called out in a snarky tone.

His eyes snapped up, locating the woman, the source of his rage, and he realized, the girl he was trying to kill was not her. Immediately he released her, and she collapsed to the ground, gasping as a reaction, as if running out of air was an issue. All the fear and anxiety replaced by calm instantly. Walking around her, he knelt down, one hand on her back, as a sign of comfort. He didn't say anything, just examining her for wounds. She was lucky. All her limbs were still attached, and she was alive.

Standing, he started walking back towards the tree, where the basket lay, taking the clothes, Lucy gathered for him, heading further down the stream. Elise pulled herself together, watching him walk away. She stood, wanting to go after him, to tell him she wasn't angry, that she forgave him, but, she halted her stride, hearing the other woman call out.  
"I wouldn't worry about him sweetie, he's an emotional wreck." Lucy laughed. "Just give him some time." Did the blonde think that Elise had intervened to save her? If so, she wouldn't give her a reason not to believe Elise acted in her benefit. "Is he always so… complex?"  
"Yes. His first year was pretty bad. The day after his transformation completed was probably the worst I've ever seen him. He attacked the three of us. Took Nettie's left arm off, bit into Maria's shoulder, and nearly decapitated me. He was a violent newborn. He's still hot-headed."

"Well, it certainly didn't help that you were taunting him, and that you've been taunting him since you showed up." Elise scoffed, earning a chuckle. "You know, newborns normally don't get attached to their creators, at least, if they're created on a whim. Most newborns end up attacking their creators if there's no prior bond." The burnette shied away, not realizing how strangely she'd been acting. This caught Lucy's curiosity. "What, did he woo you before turning you, or something?" She raised a brow. "Nah. You seem too innocent." Lucy was quick to dismiss the thought.  
"I actually did attack him. In the middle of my transformation." She could bend the truth a little, if it meant she looked more like a normal newborn. "My strength wasn't yet at its peak, but, I bit into his shoulder."

She didn't seem to phased either way, just shrugging her shoulders, headed over to the basket and grabbing it and bringing it closer to the water. "Regardless, you should focus on scrubbing all the blood off. Some of your thirst should go away once stale blood isn't constantly under your nose."

Elise headed down to the stream. It felt a little awkward stripping off her chemise outside, in front of a strange woman she'd only known for a couple hours, with a man she barely knew just a ways down. She was given constant assurance that in her new life, this was fine. A common occurrence among her coven mates.  
She waded into the water, the current, which would normally be frigid to the touch, was strangely warm against her cold skin. The stains came off her skin easily, getting the dried blood out of her hair was a bit more difficult, and strange as it was, Lucy was willing to lend a hand, untangling her locks, washing with castile soap, and rinsing a mixture of apple cider vinegar, and rosemary through her dampened hair.

Twenty miles away, Jasper just finished washing off in the stream, and now, he was resting, standing near the falls, listening to the water crash down, while thinking to himself. Lucy angered him to the point where he turned against Elise, and he remembered making the conscious decision to do so. The good news was she managed to defend herself without any training. Albeit he was able to wrap his arms around her, but, most newborns would've lost to his first hold. In a sense, he was proud of her.

His main objective right now, was figuring what he could tell Maria that would upset her just enough for her to give him the okay to dispose of both Lucy and Nettie. He saw promise in Elise, with her ability, and in another newborn, Peter. It'd be nice to have co-leaders, he could actually get along with.

Sighing, he decided to return to the girls, Elise had more than enough time to change. Leaping to the trees, he made his way, from branch to branch. There was no sign of any other vampires in the area, aside from his small group. Helena must've ran. Which was good, it gave him time to train Elise, to understand her ability and help her learn to kill with it.  
Jasper stopped, not too far away, dropping to the ground, listening closely to their conversation.

"Is all this really necessary? Aren't we going to be fighting, like, a lot?" Elise's voice was first to speak, as Lucy helped her into her attire. "You're a vampire now, you can dress how you want. With that, don't you want to feel like nobility? Make a few men bow at your feet. Worship you. There are so many fantasies you could play out."  
"I'm not really that type of woman."  
Lucy shrugged. "Flaunting your body will get you many places."  
Just normal conversation. He'd find some reason to have her executed another day.

Walking out from the forest, Elise's gaze instantly met his own, and she gave him a gentle smile. Lucy was currently braiding back the newborn's hair, to keep it out of her face.  
Like all the other females, Elise was gorgeous, beauty radiating from her. She now donned a wine-colored evening dress, her collar dipped a little low, sleeves being just barely anything more than straps. A green pendant hung, slightly lower than her collarbone, it was nearly the same shade as her eyes had been as a human.  
Seeing her smile, dressed up so stunningly, only reaffirmed that Jasper would have indeed courted her, if they were both human. And if he didn't have Maria. He did love her, even if she was always full of rage.

"There. Now you're perfect." Lucy commented, placing her hand on Elise's shoulder. Her hand was colder, and blackened. But, she was a vampire and shared the same porcelain as every vampire? Where had the dark sheen come from?  
Glancing back, Elise realized it was a ribbon, laced around Lucy's hand. It gave off a maleficent aura. Unlike her bond with Jasper, this was not good.

Without thinking, Elise grabbed Lucy's hand, not harsh enough to send the blonde into a panicked attack, but, enough for Elise to get some answers. Again, like before, she was greeted with a vocal scene, an echoed remnant of a past event.

"She killed my newborns for no reason! She killed Charles!" This voice, was strange, not one she knew. The second to speak was Lucy. "Maybe…. Maybe we should eliminate her, like you suggested.. I mean, she's using our territories as shields to protect her own. The only problem is Jasper, he's too head over heels for her, he wouldn't let us get close…"  
"So, we kill them both. Create a new army, act like everything is going well, and during a battle, I'll take Maria's head, and you take Jasper's. They won't see it coming." Her voice was spiteful, longing for revenge and pained. Charles was important.

Elise's eyes glanced around, before she lowered her head, smile turning into a frown, and her semi-cheerful mood was glazed over with confusion and worry. She let Lucy's hand go, quickly mummering a 'thank you' to keep Lucy from being suspicious. Her ruse was defenseless against Jasper's ability, easily picking up that something was wrong and he went into action, to separate Lucy from her.

"Lucy. I'd like you to go to Stillwater, ahead of us."  
"And why, pray tell, would I do that?" She crossed her arms, cocking a brow. "Because, Maria is ordering us all to fall back. Meaning, someone needs to be there, to defend the territory. And, while we still have some time until daylight, I'd prefer to give my newborn at least one combat lesson."  
"I'm surprised you gave me an actual excuse, Jas. I was expecting the normal 'because i'm your superior', Answer." She cackled, irritating walked forward, grabbing her chin in a similar manner that he'd grabbed Elise, leaning closely to her ear. "Don't forget your place, woman." Tossing her to the side, he approached Elise, hands held behind his back, staring down at the young girl. He was rather intimidating, even when he wasn't trying. Elise made a mental note to stay on his good side.

Noticing that Lucy was still just standing there, huffed up, fists clenched, he turned back towards her, shooing her away with a gesture. With a growl, Lucy leaped to the tree tops, ready to leave. She'd play his game for now.

"Now then," His attention was back on Elise. "Tell me what you saw." Jasper sounded like a parent, who'd pulled their child to the side, asking what the true story was.  
"Uh, heard." She corrected, a little nervous, not expecting Jasper to realize so quickly. Elise didn't want to rat them out, from the sounds of it, Maria had killed someone important to Nettie. And, that was wrong. But, from what Elise had put together, she needed to earn her place, get on Jasper and Maria's good sides, and stay there. What other way, than to rat out two others in the group, who not only outranked herself, but seemed to hold a higher position overall? She took a deep breath, quickly deciding that it was better to side with Jasper.  
He'd felt her devotion waver, as she weighed which side to take. Though she only considered taking the girls' side for a moment, it was enough to send the signal to Jasper, reminded him, that even with how obsessed she seemed to be with him, he needed to keep an eye on her.

"I didn't recognize the first voice, but, the second to speak was Lucy. One of the first girl's newborn's was important to her… She wants revenge. They plan on attacking both you and Maria during the confusion of a battle."  
"Oh, really?" He smirked, satisfied that Elise had just given him what he needed to give the girls a death sentence. His little newborn was paying off quite well. "Well, I'd like them to try." Excitement filled Jasper, he couldn't wait to show Maria, Elise's gift. And if her loyalty was a problem, he'd just give her a little incentive to continue her work. It wouldn't be all that difficult to convince her that she's only happy when he's around. Make her dread each time he leaves the room.

 _ **To be continued….**_


End file.
